Do you think running is painful? (Read 1062 times)

I notice that in the text of many "motivational" pictures on the web and on Facebook sites for runners, running is referred to as painful. Sometimes, it even seems that the pain is celebrated. This kind of baffles me because I never think of running as a particularly painful thing. Sure, it hurts sometimes and there are injuries sometimes. But, I guess maybe I just don't focus on the pain as one of the main aspects of running. What do you think? Is pain a major part of running for you?

...Not in training...The last four miles of a Marathon can suck out loud. Otherwise no.

For most runs, no.

It was the last 5 miles of my first marathon that certainly hurt but in different ways than I expected. The most I ever hurt while running was my first attempt at a 16 mile training run when I crashed and burned in the last 2 miles.

I notice that in the text of many "motivational" pictures on the web and on Facebook sites for runners, running is referred to as painful. Sometimes, it even seems that the pain is celebrated. This kind of baffles me because I never think of running as a particularly painful thing. Sure, it hurts sometimes and there are injuries sometimes. But, I guess maybe I just don't focus on the pain as one of the main aspects of running. What do you think? Is pain a major part of running for you?

At one of his last lectures in the US in 2004, Arthur Lydiard was asked "How did you deal with pain with your athletes?" at the Boulder clinic. "What pain?" he replied. "We didn't have pain; we all enjoyed running..."

This is a typical "no pain, no gain" philosophy I see all over US. I'm sorry but this is why I'd hate when people talk about "breaking the pain barrier by doing some tough interval training..." Nonsense...

This is a really astute comment. The pain that hurts the worse is the imagined pain. One of the most difficult arts of racing is learning to ignore the imagined pain and just live with the present pain (which is always bearable.)

"I want you to pray as if everything depends on it, but I want you to prepare yourself as if everything depends on you."

-- Dick LeBeau

bojangles

posted: 12/7/2012 at 5:30 PM

I think everyone has their own view and definition of pain when it comes to exercise. It all comes down to how you take these quotes and sayings. Some may think pain is a compound fracture. Others may think pain is just some good ole lactic acid building up.

As many days as not the first mile or two IS pretty painful now due to piriformis/sciatic pain, but in general training should not be painful.

Sometimes there is soreness, the burn of a 5K finish or a mid-distance race can be interpreted as pain. Marathon or ultra finishes when you are ripped up yeah, that hurts. Throwing your back out 34 miles into a 50, yeah that hurts.

Back when I was a new runner, I know I thought it hurt more than it does now. Maybe that's where it comes from. New runners sucking wind trying to run a full mile, muscles that get sore almost immediately because they are soft and out of shape.

But after 20 years of being in shape it takes a lot of effort to get to where something is registered as painful.

"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

Back when I was a new runner, I know I thought it hurt more than it does now. Maybe that's where it comes from. New runners sucking wind trying to run a full mile, muscles that get sore almost immediately because they are soft and out of shape.

But after 20 years of being in shape it takes a lot of effort to get to where something is registered as painful.

I am pretty damn out of shape right now. Difference is I know how to run a 13 minute mile now. I think one day I actually achieved a 15 minute mile while still "running". That isnt something I used to know how to do.

While it does hurt sometimes I dont like the poster for the implication that it SHOULD hurt to be worthwhile. Thats why we have all the new runners who run every run as fast as they can and cant get anywhere.

I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

It was mildly uncomfortable when I was first starting out, but now all of my regular runs are very enjoyable and pain free. I'm learning that a properly run 5k has a good amount of suck to it, but I'm fine as soon as the race is done. If it were continually painful, I think I'd have to find another sport/hobby.

While it does hurt sometimes I dont like the poster for the implication that it SHOULD hurt to be worthwhile. Thats why we have all the new runners who run every run as fast as they can and cant get anywhere.

+1.

FWIW the hardest, best race I ever ran...a 10K...really hurt for only ~2 miles. And that was probably a whole other kind of hurt from what those posters are talking about.

"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

I think we are talking about muscular pain or pain in the lungs here, as opposed to pain due to a specific injury. You should only feel pain in a race, and in a masochistic sort of way, it is good pain: you're hurting, you want it to stop, you fight with the urge to stop or ease up; we all love and hate this at the same time, I think, when you dig really deep (otherwise you are not racing, you are just running al ittle faster than normal)